Family medicine is anticipated to be increasingly identified as the specialty of choice for HIV/AIDS patients in the United States. The following explanations represent a partial justification for this assertion: (a) the virus is growing in prevalence within the heterosexual population and in non-metropolitan regions, (b) it requires cost-effective medical management and may come to be likened to a chronic disease, (c) early antiretroviral intervention may arrest immunologic deterioration, and (d) family medicine espouses the treatment or management of all age groups and all conditions compared to other primary care specialties which focus on a limited patient population or specific condition. Family physicians should possess the expertise to confront HIV/AIDS in their practices; however, there is no literature base which describes family physicians' attitudes, knowledge, experience, or occupational concerns relative to HIV/AIDS on a large scale. It is proposed that a national random sample of 2,500 board certified or board eligible family physicians be defined and surveyed with an appropriate instrument to collect this data. The survey will be conducted following Dillman's (1978) procedures for mail surveys to ensure at least a 70% response rate. These procedures include a pre-survey postcard, a well-planned and attractive questionnaire format, and several mailings with carefully worded cover letters. The instrument will consist of factual knowledge-based questions, questions designed to ascertain actual experiences with HIV/AIDS patients, and questions which incorporate Likert-type scale responses to assess attitudes and concern about HIV/AIDS patients and related issues. Data will be examined to identify unifying factors representative of the larger set of questions and are anticipated to consist of attitudes, preparedness to treat, and concerns of treating. Scales will be tested for reliability and internal consistency. Subjects will be identified according to training status (residency or non-residency trained), practice location (urban or rural), and practice setting (teaching or private) and will be compared. Results of this analysis will be distributed to policy makers at the American Academy of Family Physicians in an effort to encourage the development of an early care clinical protocol designed for family physicians. An early care clinical protocol does not exist in any medical specialty at this time. Family physicians, HIV-antibody positive patients and patients participating in high-risk activities would benefit from the development and dissemination of such a protocol.